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Grantee Research Project Results

2024 Progress Report: Developing low-cost sensor unit for high-frequency water quality monitoring in non-navigational rivers

EPA Grant Number: SU840588
Title: Developing low-cost sensor unit for high-frequency water quality monitoring in non-navigational rivers
Investigators: Todorova, Svetoslava , Coghiel, David , Rodriguez, Jasmine , Sallas, Elliot , Tetley, William
Institution: Syracuse University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024 (Extended to December 31, 2024)
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2023 through July 31,2024
Project Amount: $24,999
RFA: 19th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet Request for Applications (RFA) (2022) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources

Objective:

The overall objective of this project is to develop and verify on the field an integrated sensing system for monitoring non-navigational perennial, low-order streams, with the long-term goal of integrating it with regular stream sampling for estimation of material load. The system could bridge the current gap in gathering data on critical water quality indicators, particularly in remote regions or for small and disadvantaged communities for whom traditional monitoring equipment may be financially prohibitive or logistically challenging. 

Progress Summary:

 We developed an Arduino-based low-cost sensor unit (“Smart Water Box”) for continuous monitoring of temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and conductivity. The unit has been deployed in a small stream for five months.  

Future Activities:

 For the remaining of the project time, the team will: 1) Continue the monitoring of the four water quality parameters at Harbor Brook using the Smart Water Box and determine how often the sensors need to be replaced, considering how frequently they fail or stop recording; and 2) Draft a manuscript on the development and current optimization of the Smart Water Box, further detailing the collected data, issues we faced, and future optimization of the design. Submit the manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. 

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

water quality, sensors, dissolved oxygen, pH, low-cost, river  

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract
  • Final
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    The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

    Project Research Results

    • Final
    • Original Abstract
    1 publications for this project

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    Last updated April 28, 2023
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